Hyperemesis Support

[LucindaE]

I hope everyone suffering from the Horrors of Hyperemesis will find this thread useful as a source of support and information.
There's no TMI on here - can't be by definition - and nobody should feel ashamed of moaning as much as they feel the need to.

MOH's wonderful website is full of useful information on this illness:
//sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/
Another invaluable website is:
//www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

If you need help in obtaining medication, this phone number is
brilliant:
024 7638 2020

Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
cks.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy#!scenario

I would like to thank everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on this and on previous threads.

Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.
So many women on this thread have thought they couldn't get through this, but they did.

[LucindaE]

Here we are everyone. Please stagger in and make yourselves at home...

[MotherofPearl]

Place marking. Thanks for the new thread Lucinda.

[TwoDrifters]

Thanks Lucinda! Welcome newbies! And although I'm sorry that you're here, it will honestly get better, just hang on in there

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Waddling in 😬

I'm blondes. 15w preg - suffered terribly from sickness and retching 4-8w then found this thread and advised to see gp. He was lovely and supportive (unlike some) and said I had hg (tho mild compared to some on previous thread) put me on cyclizline highest dose which is 3 tablets a day

He said hg improves 14/20/40 weeks

Took few weeks to get into my system but around 10w wasn't so sick and retching as before ,so helped but didn't cure - tho felt awful till 1 pm and would just lie quiet and still in bed all am - that made the afternoon better

Went on holiday and weirdly the sickness swapped from am to eve. I am up early am now yet spent 2w being sick tho very sick - just the once in eve

Now home for 3 days and although I still have the nauseous feelings - monkey shat in my mouth taste - salviatating etc I haven't been sick past 3 days

Yah you think but now worrying something wrong with bubs :(

Tho as 15w maybe I'm one of the lucky ones that hg stops at 14w????

[LucindaE]

Blondes Lol about waddling. Sorry you feel anxious, but everyone is like that on here. They long to feel better, then start worrying when they do.
Fifteen weeks is around the time it really eased for me and quite a few others - except for the heartburn, so with any luck at all it is that with you? Or its been one of the number of good days which show the turnaround, and a sign of things improving in the future.
I hope all those who were in hospital are back home, and redjumper is feeling a bit better today.
Lovely to hear from you, TwoDrifters. MotherofPearl what would we do without you?
I too, am worried about Raeskywalker (that was her full name, wasn't it?)
On the Pink Castle:
Ah, yes, the Pink Castle, I'm so glad that SleepymrsE has arrived here at last. To explain that strange term - when I was a kid we had a Snakes and Ladders board. The last square, when the game had been completed, depicted a pink castle in the clouds. As Hyperemesis is so like a horrible version of that board game - manage to eat, and the sufferer feels she's climbed a ladder, but then you have a bad day and you feel that you have whizzed down a snake to before where you were before, I came to call the end of the Hyperemesis Horror 'The Pink Castle' which all eventually reach.

[redjumper]

Thanks for checking in with me Lucinda. I'm a tiny bit better today and my ketones have stayed down so that is giving me some hope. And today I've not been worrying that I'm going to die 🙈 Which is an improvement! What a horrible illness, does anyone else get such fears? It's enough to give you PTSD!

[SleepymrsE]

Placemarking. Hopefully when things have calmed down a little I'll be able to pop in to help those still suffering.

[happydays00]

Place marking, having a bad day but will message again when feeling a bit better and can tolerate looking at the phone screen for more than a couple of minutes. Evening all

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Yes have occasional heartburn and also restless legs

Seeing mw tomorrow for 16w check. Can't ebelive been 2mths since seen her

[IAmSeriousAndDontCallMeShirley]

Hi everyone.
Just placemarking and saying hello again in the new thread.

The antiemetics have helped a lot over the weekend, but feeling rotten again tonight.

Those who have done this previously- do you try to wean down your medication once you have stabilised? Or just carry on taking throughout pregnancy?

Xx

[LightTripper]

Hello all!

seriously personally I wouldn't try to reduce unless/until you start to see an actual improvement, rather than just stabilising. Sometimes I've tried and felt so bad I've gone back up, other times it is only a bit worse so I've managed to stay at the lower dose. Some people need drugs right to the end though, so I'd keep an open mind.

I've had a horrible cold the last few days and the phlegm has really made the sickness worse (not week 11 type terrible, just worse than recently). Doing better today, so hoping that was just a blip.

Off on holiday on Wednesday so may not be around for a bit, depending on whether there is WiFi!

[RaeSkywalker]

Hi all!

I've not had a great week. Very tired and nausea is increasing. Back to sleeping and not doing much else! 34 weeks today.

Blondes I know it's hard not to worry. Maybe talk to your midwife for reassurance? Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones, or at least this is a lull in your symptoms to give you some respite. I spend my life worrying about if my baby is ok, and suspect it won't get any better after the birth! Hope all goes well tomorrow.

Hi redjumper. Joking aside, I think You're right about PTSD. It'll take me a long time to get over HG

happy I hope that tomorrow is a better day.

seriously I didn't attempt to reduce mine for weeks after I'd stabilised, and even then I took a tablet as soon as I felt myself starting to dip. I'm getting worse again now so am back up to full doses of both my tablets.

Light I hope the cold goes soon! Can you stomach anything like warm Ribena?

And most importantly- Sleepy have you made it to the pink castle? So sorry, I'm behind on everything due to wallowing in self pity. If you have made it, huge congratulations to you 🎉

Hope everyone else is ok. I'm on mat leave countdown now. Hoping I'm not totally broken by the time I finish work.

So sorry if I worried anyone by my radio silence

[IAmSeriousAndDontCallMeShirley]

Thank you light and skywalker it's good to have an idea of what to expect.

Sorry to hear of colds too- definitely makes my sickness worse. I hope it's a quick one for you!

I have been feeling terrible again this evening. Not actually been sick yet, but pretty sure it's only a matter of time. Back off the food and fluids too, not ideal. Hopefully some sleep will improve matters for me.

I hope you all get good nights sleep too.

[SleepymrsE]

Checking in from the night feed.

blondes glad you're feeling a bit better. I wouldn't worry about symptoms easing, I think traditionally many people do feel better around the 15/16 week mark. I was feeling slightly better around 20 -25 weeks until the heartburn really started to kick in and that triggered more sickness especially at night. If you find this is the case there is medication you can take for that too. It won't be long before your 20 week scan which will help ease worries and hopefully your midwife will listen to bubs heartbeat at your 16 week appointment.

redjumper welcome to the thread. Glad the ketones are down a bit but please do go to your doctor if they start to rise again. Most hospitals will want to admit on 2-3+ for hydration and while nobody wants to be admirtted, it really does help make you feel better and often breaks the sickness cycle.

happy sorry you're suffering again, I hope tomorrow is a better day. Are you able to take some time off work? If you are unable to look at your phone screen it is unlikely you can work without making yourself much worse. Please do try and make it easy. Btw, your comment about poogate in the Wendy house made me chuckle - looking back it was funny but at the time horrendous!

iam glad you have been feeling a bit better, the meds often take time to build up in your system so please don't reduce them yet. Some people on here manage to cut down gradually but many find they need to up the dosage again after a few days. I tried a couple of times but would always notice a difference in sickness levels on the days after a missed dose. I was still taking 2 X cyclizine, 2 X ondansatron and 1 X omeprazole at the very end of my pregnancy. Do what feels right for you but don't be afraid of taking the meds throughout.

light sorry to hear about the cold. It is horrible isn't it. The phlegm (sorry to use that word) makes the sickness so much worse plus only being able to take paracetamols isn't that helpful. Fingers crossed you feel better for your holiday and the sickness reduces again.

rae we have all been worried about you on here. I'm really sorry to hear you're struggling so much. When do you finish on maternity leave? Can't be too much longer. I promise it does help as you can rest (although it's easy to wallow in self pity when off). It may still feel like forever away and you'll want to punch everybody that tells you this but you really are on the home straight now.

Baby sleepy is 4 days old now and a little cutie, however she will not sleep unless being held which makes nights interesting esp with a toddler who gets upset at her crying. Even with that said, and only having very limited broken sleep I am coping so much better as I don't feel sick all the time. It's so strange when being offered food as my instant reaction is 'ooh I can't eat that, it'll make me sick' and I have to stop myself and remember I do actually like those foods and can eat them without fear of throwing up.

Hope everyone manages a good week - will try and pop in when I get chance but lucinda and mop are always around. I want to say a massive thank you for all the support you gave me and continue to give others. HG is horrible and there were many a dark day esp at the beginning of my pregnancy and just chatting things through with those who understand is a real life saver.

[SleepymrsE]

Ooh cross post with iam, I hope you're not suffering the horrible pregnancy insomnia? It makes HG so much worse. Keep taking the meds, if they are still not working in a day or so please go back to your GP and ask for a different type of medication - there are lots of others you can try. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right one/ones (if you need a combination) so don't feel like you're stuck with the one option.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Sleepy. Glad you are enjoying baby sleepy. Hope all going well now reached pink castle

Think I'm just a natural worrier coz of all the failed attempts and it's not if I can 'just try again'

I'm sure all will be fine. Going to arrange a private scan this week to reassure df and I

And yes have mw later today

Also checking in from feeding 😬😬 tho top up bottle from me as mum is bf

[IAmSeriousAndDontCallMeShirley]

Aw sleepy sounds like your daughter is the same as mine was. She would only sleep on me too. Have you got a sling? I invested waaay too late- was a life saver in the daytime. Nighttimes are tricker though.
I found that a hot water bottle in the Moses basket to warm the bedding before putting her down helped my DD to settle. And swaddling, she loved a swaddle.

Thanks for the advice as well.

Sadly I have been feeling so rough this morning I haven't moved from my pit until just now when I attempted a shower. Big mistake! Have been very sick repeatedly in the shower. Can't take my cyclazine as I am instantly sick after fluids so a bit stuck again. I think I'll ask my GP for another injection.

Xx

[FoxMulder]

Hello. I am so mega rough. 9wks now. Feels like I've been ill forever. Totally housebound and relying on family to look after my toddler. Have tried 4 kinds of drugs but nothing seems to work. Maybe I haven't given them enough time? Can't will myself out of bed today, what's the point?

[LightTripper]

IAm sorry you're feeling worse. Sounds like another injection or even hospital might be needed to break the cycle properly. Definitely worth another chat with the helpful GP (maybe they can do a phone appointment and then tell you whether to go in for an injection or go to the hospital?)

I am agree with you re: slings, I am a big fan.

Hello Fox - sorry you are feeling so bad. Were you very bad last time too? So much harder with a toddler too isn't it? 9 weeks is an awful time. It might be worth trying the PSS telephone helpline at the top of this page to talk through the drugs you've already taken and see if there is anything left to try - or it may be worth trying an injection/IV version to see if that helps break the cycle and then the pills may be able to maintain you there? In my experience they do take a few days to work, and you have to take them consistently, not just when you feel worst - but it sounds like you are probably doing that already? Ondansetron is one that a lot of people here have had some success with: is that one you have tried already?

[FoxMulder]

Yeah I had it last time too although I started picking up after the first tri.

Ondansetron was my latest but it doesn't seem to do anything. I haven't taken it the last couple of days and I don't seem any worse.

Should call PSS I've just lost the will to keep trying lately.

[IAmSeriousAndDontCallMeShirley]

Thank you light I think you are right. The GP isn't in today, but she's back tomorrow so will definitely be giving her a bell. My daughter has a hospital appointment tomorrow as well, I hope they will be accommodating with timings.

fox sorry to hear you are feeling so terrible. The injection really helped me on Friday, so might be worth a try? I expect you are feeling very fun down now and so I can understand you feeling there is little point. You must have very little energy, but if you can get something sorted that at least gives you a break then you are bound to feel brighter. Hang on in there and look after you. Xx

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Sorry fox and SHIRLEY you are feeling so crap :(

It does suck and I felt awful but not way as bad as you lou are 💐💐

Cyczline worked for me and although was still sick and retching nothing as bad as I was - then has stopped last few days and now almost 16w so hope that's it now ........

[LucindaE]

Foxmulder Welcome to the thread. Sorry you feel so foul. This is the worst bit,as you know from before. I wonder if a combination of other drugs with Ondansetron might help you? It's very hard to bear. Feel free to moan all you like. You've had great advice from others, and I can't add anything. You''ll know all about the ice lollies and the kesostix to test for dehydratgion from last time.
SleepymrsE It was a pleasure to have helped you. You have always been very supportive to others. I so agree with I amSeriousabout swaddling - with my sleepless little horror it was the only thing that might keep her quiet two hours. Do you have to share a bed with your two LO's?
I am so glad you are getting used to eating again.
IamSerious Sorry you have taken a turn for the worse. Did you say you were given some buccastem/stemital (spelling?) last time you saw your doctor, or did I mix that up? At least you don't have to swallow that with water.
Blondes I hope all went swimmingly at your midwife appointment.
Raeskywalker Thirty-four weeks - I am so glad you can't have long until M/L. Sorry you feel bad. It's very hard on those who continue to suffer or for whom it comes back in the third tri.
LightTripper Great advice. Sorry about cold, that is horrible to have to endure as well.
happydays Sorry about bad day yesterday. How are things today?
redjumper As others say, in all seriousness, it is easy to get PTSD with this, from the sense of isolation and all the misunderstanding comments...
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

[LucindaE]

Foxmulder Welcome to the thread. Sorry you feel so foul. This is the worst bit,as you know from before. I wonder if a combination of other drugs with Ondansetron might help you? It's very hard to bear. Feel free to moan all you like. You've had great advice from others, and I can't add anything. You''ll know all about the ice lollies and the kesostix to test for dehydratgion from last time.
SleepymrsE It was a pleasure to have helped you. You have always been very supportive to others. I so agree with I amSeriousabout swaddling - with my sleepless little horror it was the only thing that might keep her quiet two hours. Do you have to share a bed with your two LO's?
I am so glad you are getting used to eating again.
IamSerious Sorry you have taken a turn for the worse. Did you say you were given some buccastem/stemital (spelling?) last time you saw your doctor, or did I mix that up? At least you don't have to swallow that with water.
Blondes I hope all went swimmingly at your midwife appointment.
Raeskywalker Thirty-four weeks - I am so glad you can't have long until M/L. Sorry you feel bad. It's very hard on those who continue to suffer or for whom it comes back in the third tri.
LightTripper Great advice. Sorry about cold, that is horrible to have to endure as well.
happydays Sorry about bad day yesterday. How are things today?
redjumper As others say, in all seriousness, it is easy to get PTSD with this, from the sense of isolation and all the misunderstanding comments...
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

lucinda I can not advise enough to swaddle. I'm a maternity night nanny /nurse and always swaddle newborns. Till maybe 8/10w and the loosen and swap to fri bags


Just seen mw for 16w check

Heard bubs 💓💓💓. still a relief but wow every time I hear heart - nice to know all ok

Ketones are 2. Not terrible but not as good as should be

Need to eat and drink more - tho iron is good as is bp and weight as losing - tho obv not a good reason I'm losing by being sick lol